Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, with several passengers medically evacuated and others being monitored as health authorities investigate.
The MV Hondius, carrying 88 passengers and 61 crew – including four Australians – remains in isolation.
But what exactly is hantavirus, and how worried should we be?
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a rare but severe respiratory illness which can be life-threatening. It is not a single virus but a family of viruses carried by rodents, like mice and rats.
People are usually exposed through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva, particularly when contaminated dust is stirred up and breathed in.
Hantavirus does not usually spread between people, although the World Health Organization says person-to-person transmission can happen in rare cases.
Globally, there are an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 cases of hantavirus infection each year, with the highest rates reported in Asia and Europe.
The disease made headlines last year after the late actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico.
What are the symptoms?
Hantaviruses can cause two main types of illness: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs, and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys and blood vessels.
Early symptoms can look a lot like the flu, including fever, fatigue and muscle aches. They usually appear one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent.
In more serious cases, symptoms can worsen quickly. People may develop coughing, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest.
Depending on the type of virus and illness, hantavirus infections can be fatal in about five to 35 per cent of cases.
There is no specific cure or treatment for hantavirus infection, but early medical care can improve the chance of survival.
Should Australians be worried?
For most Australians, the risk is very low.
Hantavirus infections are extremely rare, and the Australian Centre for Disease Control says hantavirus has never been reported in humans in Australia. Travellers to areas where the virus is more common are advised to take precautions around rodents.
The current cruise ship outbreak is still being investigated, but the World Health Organization has assessed the broader public health risk as low.
The key message is not to panic. But if you have recently travelled in an area where hantavirus is found and develop flu-like symptoms that worsen or include breathing difficulty, see your GP.
